Top Laos hotels
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There are many cute little children around Laos and in western culture you want to affectionatley pat them on there small little heads. Unfortunetly my friend did this only to recieve a tounge lashing by the childs mother. According the theirs and buddhist culture the head is the cleanest and most sacred (sorry of im wrong) part of the boby , it is considered a disgrace to touch them there.
I must have been away too long. Luckily Jen (Craic) reminded me of my original claim to fame on VT, beer. Well, despite what Paolo (uttz) informed me, I was not overly impressed with the local brew of Laos, Beer Lao. That said, I cannot say I was not fond of it, nor did it decrease my consumption. It is easy to drink and cheap. And with D giving it her best plug here, it sure looks pretty. ;=>
With over 58% of the population considering themselves Buddhist, Laos has been highly influenced by the neighboring Thai and Khymer societies. I found the Buddha images in Cambodia the most appealing but those in Laos were also a sight to behold.
One of the more interesting sights of Laos are the saffron robed monks that you will undoubtedly encounter on your travels there. They walk around the various cities looking for alms. This tradition benefits both monks and those who give them sustenance. The idea is that by waking up each morning with the thought of giving, one is more at ease with the world through their generosity. So, you will see monks making their rounds each morning and countless shop owners waiting to give them some offering.
Calls to re-legalise opium THE Laotian government's pledge last year to end the cultivation of opium poppies by 2005 was music to the ears of international narcotics-control agencies and donor governments alike. But in a country where over 40% of the population are hill-tribesmen, many of them dependent on opium as a cash-crop and for medicine, it is proving tricky. International NGOs are worried about the humanitarian cost of the war on drugs, which has already caused the displacement of some 25,000 Hmong, Akha, and other tribes from their traditional homes in the mountains to the valleys. The UN's drug-control agency admits that crop-substitution projects cover only a few areas. But an international survey has shown that in areas where no alternative crops were in place, malaria and dysentery have ravaged the resettled villages and annual mortality rates have risen to 4% on average—and...
Good to see the life style of Laotian in early morning, to offer food to a hundred of monks.A pity of me and friends because of raining. Anyhow it's very impressive activity for me, to see the long line of the monks with umbrellas, so patient are they.
I have never seen as many hotel rules as in Laos, they start with forbidding drug, then guests, then alcohl exc.Most guests houses will ask you to leave your shoes outside, you may read it as: leave the floor cleaned, or, as I read it, do not be noisy, come, sleep, use the bathroom, but do not disturb our silences!May be I used my fantasy, but this is the way I love to see Laos.
This is a toilet in Laos. You do not use it like a western toilet where you sit on the seat. Here you put your feet at the sides of the toilet and squat and do your thing (just like when you are out in the forest). By the way, there is no paper or soap in the toilets, so bring papers and wet wipes in your bag to use in the toilet.
Don't ask a person about his/hers family's status. If they are poor or rich. It is very insolent and impolite to ask that and they might be upset for a question like that. It is almost like a swearword there. A friend told me that, so that is good to know.
In some shops you must take of your shoes and leave them outside the shop and walk into the shop barefooted. It is not for all shops, but some shops. If you go inside a tempel, you must take of your shoes too and cover your shoulders. Don't wear tank tops in a tempel, wear t-shirt that cover the shoulders. An ordinary t-shirt is just fine.
La Residence Phou Vao Luang Prabang
4 Reviews and 281 Opinions TOUGH MANAGEMENT While this facility may be nice, I know the management is tough and does not have...
Settha Palace Hotel Vientiane
5 Reviews and 132 Opinions Settha Palace is a small luxury family owned hotel.It has its importance as a historical example of...
Ban Sabai Riverside Bungalow Vang Vieng
84 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Laos attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Laos sightseeing.
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Q: do any VT have any experience with the VIP overnight sleeper bus from Vientiane to Luang Prabang??? is it reasonably...
A: I took the VIP bus from Luang Prabang to Vientienne in 2010. There is a toilet on the bus. I was on the upper deck and the airconditioner was very weak. So it was a VHB...
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